Previous Year Question
Given below are two statements, one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R).
Assertion (A): Sugarcane and sugar production in U.P. is more than Maharashtra but productivity is less.
Reason (R): Most of the sugar factories in Maharashtra are in cooperative sector.
Codes:
Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)
Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A)
(A) is true, but (R) is false
(A) is false, but (R) is true
Correct Answer: B
Detailed Solution
Uttar Pradesh is one of India's major sugarcane and sugar-producing States and, in the context of the question, its total sugarcane and sugar production was higher than Maharashtra. On the other hand, productivity measured as sugarcane yield per hectare has been higher in Maharashtra than in Uttar Pradesh.
This difference is mainly associated with the agro-climatic conditions of the two regions. Uttar Pradesh lies in the subtropical sugarcane region, whereas Maharashtra lies in the tropical region. According to ICAR, although the subtropical region accounts for more than 55% of India's sugarcane area, its cane yield and sugar recovery are lower than those of tropical India.
Maharashtra has a strong tradition of cooperative sugar factories, and the cooperative sugar sector has played an important role in its rural economy. However, whether a sugar mill is cooperatively or privately owned does not directly determine sugarcane yield per hectare in the field. Productivity is more directly influenced by agricultural factors such as variety, climate, irrigation and crop management.